City acts against illegal businesses

23 September 2009 — Teun

MEDIA RELEASE BY CITY OF CAPE TOWN – 27 AUGUST 2009

 Anyone thinking of starting a business from home should first check with the City of Cape Town to find out whether the zoning scheme regulations for their area allows this activity.

 The City’s Planning and Building Development Management (PBDM) Department is responsible for enforcing compliance with the zoning scheme regulations created in terms of the Land Use Planning Ordinance no 15 of 1985. These regulations define what properties can be used for.

 The PBDM Department has recently increased the staff complement in its Land Use Enforcement Section. Thirty seven personnel have already been appointed out of an eventual 40 who will be allocated to different districts.

 The department uses an eight district model and four enforcement regions, each comprising two districts. Each region will be headed by an Enforcement Coordinator. At present, one Enforcement Coordinator has been appointed and three people are acting in the remaining positions.

 The Enforcement Section’s staff are guided by a Land Use Enforcement Policy which was adopted by the Planning and Environment Portfolio Committee (PEPCO) and came into force on 01 January 2009. The approach taken is to ensure people cease an activity which contravenes the zoning scheme regulations until such time as the land use rights are in place.

 The process is complaints-driven and once a written complaint is received, it will be investigated and if necessary, a notice will be served. Transgressors are given deadlines and if they fail to close down in time, the matter is prosecuted in the criminal courts. If the prosecution is successful, the Land Use Planning Ordinance allows the Magistrate to impose a fine of up to R100 000.00 or a term of imprisonment.

 Cheryl Walters, the Director:PBDM, says, “While the department is dependent on the criminal court process, which can take a long time to complete, it has nevertheless achieved notable successes since the enforcement policy was implemented eight months ago. In excess of 500 cease unauthorised business notices have been served, 286 unauthorised businesses have closed down and in 32 court cases, 29 guilty verdicts have been handed down and fines imposed”.

 “It should be noted that a prosecution will be instituted even if a person has, subsequent to the notice, submitted a land use application to rectify the unlawful land use,” she added.

 Anyone thinking of starting a business from home should therefore first contact the PBDM Department’s district office to find out whether the zoning scheme regulations for their area permits this. If a home owner or tenant wishes to run a business or a crèche in a residential area, they will probably first need to apply for some form of permission from the Department.

Application forms for permission to use a property for a use other than the allocated zoning are available on the City’s website www.capetown.gov.za or at the eight district offices. Completed application forms must be submitted to these offices.

Should anyone wish to complain about an unlawful activity, they must lodge a written complaint on the standard complaint form by fax or e-mail with the Regional Manager’s secretary.

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Want to get a tree planted on your pavement?

28 August 2009 — renen

If you want to get a tree planted on your pavement, please complete this form (ANNEX-A-TREE-PLANTING.9jul04) and fax it through to the City Parks Directorate at 021 689 3959.

You will need to commit to watering the trees as follows:

  • 1st year 60 litres per week
  • 2nd year 60 litres every second week
  • 3rd year 60 litres every third week

Annexure C of the “Procedures regarding trees on Council owned land” details the limits governing where council can actually plant trees.

  1. Trees may not be planted nearer than 1,5m from the kerb.
  2. Trees should not be placed less than 8m apart.
  3. No trees may be planted nearer than 10m from a street intersection.
  4. No trees may be planted nearer than 2m from any of the following structures:  Fire hydrants, any electrical or Telkom boxes, drainage catch pits, stay wires
  5. No trees may be planted within 1m from any wall.
  6. No trees may be planted within 5m of a streetlight or power pole.
  7. Trees should not be planted within 3m from a driveway.
  8. Trees should not be planted within 5m from any road sign.
  9. Trees should not be planted that may interfere with any overhead or underground services.
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Ward Allocation Projects

23 August 2009 — renen

We (UWRA, and, by implication, you!) have been invited to submit proposals for Ward Allocation Projects for implementation from 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011. What does this mean? If you want fences built, street signs errected, benches installed, this is your opportunity to motivate for it.

Over the years we have made steady headway with this process. We have seen trees planted, fences errected and new jungle-gyms and benches in the parks. And, we are anticipating an allocation of exercise equipment for Queenspark – so, take this opportunity seriously!

Here our submission for the current financial year: UWRA Ward Allocation submission 09-10

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Spatial Development Plan & Environmental Management Framework

23 August 2009 — renen

A district Spatial Development Plan (SDP) is a framework of policies and plans that will guide the physical development of a district (in the same way that the City Spatial Development Framework will guide development of the City). The SDP, along with the City SDF and local plans will be used by the City to assess applications submitted by property developers to:

• guide significant changes in land use; and
• guide public investment in infrastructure (such as roads, clinics and sports fields).

It matters to our neighbourhood.

The draft documents are attached. Please contact UWRA at committee@woodstock.org.za as soon as possible if you have questions or comments.

Posted in Aesthetics, City Council, Development Framework, Hot Topics. Leave a Comment »

UWRA Traffic Management Proposals

1 July 2009 — Teun

In a meeting of our steering committee on 17 June 2009 UWRA decided on the following proposals to deal with the increasing traffic and parking problems in our area: 

  • Red (no parking) lines to be painted on the corners of Roodebloem Road with respectively Palmerston Road; Balfour Street; Chamberlain Street; Salisbury Street; and Lawley Road.
  • Red lines to be painted on all pedestrian crossings.
  • Warning signs to be placed on Roodebloem Road (above and below Salisbury Street) in both directions, reading:

This is a residential area

Respect the speed limit

Watch out for pedestrians

  • Additional visible speed limit signs to be placed in Roodebloem Road.
  • Two additional pedestrian crossings to be placed in Roodebloem Road below Salisbury Street.
  • All pedestrian crossings in Roodebloem Road to be marked with flashing warning lights.
  • The corner of Roodebloem Road and Salisbury Street to be marked with flashing warning lights.
  • The traffic department to supply a traffic official (“lollipop man”) for the pedestrian crossing in Roodebloem Road closest to Chamberlain Street in the morning and afternoon at school opening and closing hours.
  • Lawley Road (coming into Roodebloem Road) to be turned into a Stop Street.

These proposals have many times been suggested and requested by our community in public meetings and in correspondence.

In addition to all this we need to speak to Council’s Traffic Department about curbing the use of large parts of Woodstock as a rat run during traffic peak hours.

We hope that somebody from the Traffic Department will be at our General Meeting on 22 July to answer our queries.

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Aesthetics Committee has new meeting schedule

19 June 2009 — Teun

It is advisable that anyone planning to renovate or build contacts the Woodstock Aesthetics Advisory Committee for advice.

The committee meets every first Tuesday of the month at 107 Mountain Road (cnr Balfour) at 19h30.

If you want to attend the meeting regarding building/renovation plans, please contact the committee. The committee requests that both designer & client see them together.

Contact details: e-mail aesthetics@woodstock.org.za or phone Till Manecke on 083 2390894.

The Aesthetics Committee can also be contacted regarding any concerns you may have about actual or proposed building activity in the area.

See the Heritage page for more details and information.

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Comment on the Draft Public Parks By-Law

3 June 2009 — Teun

City Council is inviting everybody to comment on the Draft Public Parks By-law, which aims: “To regulate the admission of persons, animals and vehicles to public parks; to provide for the use and enjoyment of public parks; to determine conduct that will not be permitted within public parks; and to provide for matters incidental thereto.”

Comments must be submitted before 15 July 2009.

Follow this link: http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/Pages/DraftPublicParksBy-law.aspx

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CPF response to Weekend Argus story about Woodstock crime

21 April 2009 — Teun

Response to “Woodstock crime soars” (Weekend Argus, 18 Apr. 09)

As Chairperson of the Woodstock Community Police Forum (WCPF) I would like to respond to the article “Woodstock crime soars” in the Weekend Argus of 18 April 2009, so that the rather narrow and one-sided view of the writer and the business owners referred to in the article can be put in the right perspective.

It is the job of the Community Police Forum to monitor the police service in the area and we can state without hesitation that the Woodstock police are working extremely hard at reducing crime. The police are constantly keeping abreast of crime patterns and device their crime fighting strategies accordingly. There is good police visibility in the area and they make better use of modern technology to link suspects to crimes.

But it is a well-known, well-researched and well-established fact that the police cannot do their job without the help of the community. The Community Police Forum has monthly meetings. Both SAPS and the organisations that form part of the Forum have done their best to publicise contact details of Woodstock SAPS and Patrol Vehicles to the community in the local press and via public meetings.

It must be stressed that in most parts of the Woodstock precinct great strides have been made in reducing crime by an excellent co-operation between community and police. Therefore the article is by no means a true reflection of the entire Woodstock precinct as the headline implies. On the whole and through the hard work of residents in the area, Woodstock is turning the tables tremendously on the negative image of the past.

However there are still parts of the community, which are not coming to the party. The area (Lower Woodstock) that the article refers to is a typical example of this. The Sector Forum (a body in which police and community work together) in this sector basically only has one community member, because residents are refusing to get involved. There is no active civic organisation, like in other parts of the precinct. When public meetings are held, very few people show up.

Business owners are the worst culprits and show no interest at all in what is going on. There isn’t a Business Forum. I don’t know any of the business owners mentioned in this article, because none of them has ever approached the Community Police Forum to complain about police service or to sit together with us and work on a strategy to fight crime. It is typical that one of the business owners states that they caught a person who stole a handbag and “had to bribe them to get the back bag” instead of taking the guy to the police station (which is practically next door to them) or calling the police. Did nobody have a cell phone, so that they at least could have taken a photo of the perpetrator?

As is clear from this example it is a fact that people are not reporting crime, opening cases and supporting the police in the follow up, because a lot of people withdraw their statements again or refuse to testify in court. How can they then expect the police to deal with the criminals effectively?

It is all very well for residents and business owners to complain about crime levels to the press, but they themselves sit back and do nothing, while expecting things to happen. I would urge these people to get involved with the Police Forum, Sector Forum and SAPS, and stand together. Only an organised effort is going to make a difference.

Adding to all this I can write long stories about a Justice system, which is failing us miserably and does not prosecute criminals.  I can go on about Metro Police, which is basically non-existent in the Woodstock area and in any case “don’t know what they are doing” (a statement made this week by City councillors, with which I wholeheartedly agree). I can say that big property owners in the area – like City Council, Intersite, Portnet and Metrorail – are refusing to do anything about the shack dwellers on their properties referred to in the article. Unfortunately the police cannot do anything without the proper legal back up.

The message is clear. The police can not do it all on their own. Other role-players need to step up and get involved. Don’t just criticise the police for not doing enough, while refusing to do anything yourself or getting involved.

Residents and business owners can contact me for more information. I would also be interested to hear their suggestions on how to improve the situation. I can be contacted on 083 298 1009 or teun.baartman@gmail.com.

Teun Baartman

(Chairperson Woodstock Community Police Forum)

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New useful numbers from City Council

15 April 2009 — Teun

1.        NEW SMS LINE TO REPORT WATER AND SANITATION PROBLEMS

 Members of the public can  report problems or raise queries relating to municipal water and sanitation services,  such as faults in water management devices, leaking or faulty          water meters, blocked sewers, and burst water pipes by sending an SMS of no more than 160 characters to the number 31373.

All that is required in the SMS is the customer’s name, Erf number and/or account number, street address and a brief description of the fault. The complaint will be logged for   remedial action and response sent to the sender with a reference number.

The cost of this service is 80 cents per 160 character SMS. If further information is required, the Call Centre staff will call the sender. The Water Services Technical Operations Centre hotline (0860 103 054), and e-mail: WaterTOC@capetown.gov.za, will continue to operate.

 2.        NEW SYSTEM FOR REPORTING SERVICE DELIVERY PROBLEMS

 The C3 electronic reporting system for all service delivery complaints & queries is now in place.  Call 0860103089 or email contactUS@capetown.gov.za. Your contact is logged & a reference number will track progress.

 3.        Electricity problems should be reported to 0860 220 440 or emailed to FaultReporting.Centre@capetown.gov.za. Your complaint will be logged and a reference number given for tracking purposes.

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UWRA cleans up: the RAP project

1 April 2009 — Teun

The RAP cleaning project (Rapid Action Patrol) was started by UWRA to supplement Council’s cleaning service as Council’s service is inadequate to combat littering & dumping in Woodstock. We try to focus on dirt hotspots around Roodebloem Road, Mountain Road and clean the Woodstock Gateway.

In addition, UWRA envisaged the RAP project as a job creation project.  The RAPpers get a temporary job, money and food and eventually we hope that they move on to more permanent employment. So far the first RAPpers have already moved on to better jobs.  In this way we hope that the RAP project will also become an upliftment project.

RAP has gone through some changes since its inception.  We learned that even a small scale project like this requires hands-on management.

The project was handed over to the very competent Karen Cain, a Woodstock resident and active community member, during the course of 2008.  The project is financially supported by these Woodstock businesses: Skyrove, Cape Town Deco Lodge, Roodebloem Studios, Jamaicamecrazy and Amazing Spaces.

RAP now employs two Zimbabweans from the Haven Night Shelter. The RAPpers clean once a week and are paid R100 each per day, in addition to receiving a food parcel.

It is our hope that both of these men will find better jobs.  Karen Cain knows each one of them well and can therefore give reliable references & character witnesses.

You may be interested to know more about them:

MATTEUS

Matteus is a 36-year old Zimbabwean who fled to SA because of political violence.  Matteus and his wife Patience had to leave their 5 year old daughter, Violet, in Zimbabwe. Patience slept on the street but fortunately she was eventually picked up and taken to a Haven night shelter.

From there Patience managed to organise for Violet to be taken to Johannesburg.  The Haven helped her to have Violet brought down to Cape Town by a truckdriver.   For a while Violet stayed with a foster family in Woodstock.  Patience & Matteus recently had their second child, Antony Daniel.

Matteus is employed once a week as a Rapper.  In addition he makes & sells frames.  His business has steadily grown, in fact so much so that he has been able to move his family to a rented room in Plumstead.  

The family is legally in SA although as with the other RAPper, Divine, the bribe payable to Nyanga Home Affairs Office is a monthly expense.   The corruption at Nyanga Home Affairs has been reported on extensively in newspapers and on radio.  Matteus and Divine need to pay R300 per month, essentially a bribe to Home Affairs in return for legal residence.

Matteus would like to do a hospitality course.  In the meantime he has managed to get a stand in Simonstown where he sells his frames as well as vegetables.

The Haven nightshelter has received some funds from the Rotary Club.  With this the Haven buys good nutritious food which Matteus then makes up into daily or weekly food parcels.

If you would like to assist Matteus please buy one of his frames.  You can contact him on 084 871 5313. The frames are also exhibited at Cape Town Deco Lodge, 22 Roodebloem Road (entrance round the corner on Hilyard Street).

DIVINE

Divine also fled Zimbabwe due to political unrest and ended up at the Haven nightshelter.  Like Matteus he pays a R300/month bribe to Nyanga Home Affairs Office.

Divine has recently completed a hospitality course with Job Start, a Cape Town based NGO.  He is currently looking for a job as a waiter or barman.  However, he worked as a vet in Zimbabwe and his real love is still animals.  Divine is a responsible, caring person who has been put in charge of all the animals at the night shelter, clipping fur, defleaing and deworming them and generally looking after them.

Although still living at the night shelter, he is currently looking for a job at a hotel, guesthouse or lodge so that he can move out.

Divine would like to live on a farm and work with animals.  If you would like to assist him you could hire him as dog walker or animal sitter.  Contact Divine, or leave a message with Karen Cain at the Haven Night shelter, on tel. (021) 671 4209.

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